When you want to cut weeds, mow swaths of lawn, and trim edges around your property but get tired of pulling and bringing the string/cord of an electric device around, a gas-powered weed wacker is your best bet.
What follows is our selection of the best gas string trimmers - the beasts who can tame the weeds and lawns.
Here are the best gas string trimmers you can buy in 2024:
- Best Overall Straight Shaft Gas String Trimmer: Husqvarna Gas Straight Shaft String Trimmer 128LD
- Budget-Friendly Straight Shaft Option: CRAFTSMAN WS205 WEEDWACKER Gas-Powered String Trimmer
- Best For Power Users Or Semi-professionals: Husqvarna 324L Straight Shaft Gas String Trimmer
- Best Overall Curved Gas String Trimmer: Husqvarna 129C Gas Curved Shaft String Trimmer
- Budget-Friendly Curved Shaft Option: Remington RM2510 Rustler Curved Shaft Gas String Trimmer
Top 5 Best Gas String Trimmers For Home Garden Use | ||
---|---|---|
Best Overall Straight Shaft Gas String Trimmer | Husqvarna Gas Straight Shaft String Trimmer 128LD | |
Budget-Friendly Straight Shaft Option | CRAFTSMAN WS205 WEEDWACKER Gas-Powered String Trimmer | |
Best For Power Users Or Semi-professionals | Husqvarna 324L Straight Shaft Gas String Trimmer | |
Best Overall Curved Gas String Trimmer | Husqvarna 129C Gas Curved Shaft String Trimmer | |
Budget-Friendly Curved Shaft Option | Remington RM2510 Rustler Curved Shaft Gas String Trimmer |
Best Straight Shaft Gas String Trimmer
Best Overall: Husqvarna 128LD
- Easy to start, handle, and use
- Lightweight yet powerful enough to deal with most weeds and grass
- Great bang for your buck
- Convenient to store and transport
- Multiple attachments for optimal flexibility
- Have troubles cutting through heavy weeds
- Too short for some tall homeowners
The Husqvarna Gas Straight Shaft String Trimmer 128LDis the most well-built, versatile, and reliable that can do an excellent job on any medium gardens or home yard.
You don’t have to be a professional to have your hedge kept in shape and redundant branches on your fence cleared.
What makes a world of difference is the air purge technology which not only eliminates air from the fuel system and carburetor but also effortlessly turns on the engine to perform various tasks.
Though the Husqvarna Gas Straight Shaft String Trimmer 128LD works well for most regular uses, it sometimes bogs down in extremely heavy weeds.
Another minor issue is that this curved shaft weed eater might be too short for some tall homeowners.
Product Specifications
Cutting Width | 17 inches |
Engine Size | 28cc engine |
Engine Type | 2 cycle |
Line Diameter | .095 |
Cutting Head | T25 automatic trimmer head |
Dimensions | 12.2 x 10.2 x 40 inches |
Weight | 11 pounds |
Warranty | No |
Highlight Features | Easy loading T25 semi-automatic trimmer head& manual, multi-purpose, Smart Start recoil system and fuel pump, strong, braided wire cable drive |
Husqvarna Gas Straight Shaft String Trimmer 128LD is a straightforward versatile and powerful machine that can tackle any brush, branch, and lawn care with ease.
Budget-Friendly Option: CRAFTSMAN WS205 WEEDWACKER
- Lightweight and easy to use
- More control for less vibration and operator fatigue during use
- Trim much more grass/branches in less time
- Adjustable
- 2-cycle engine
Rather than a weed wacker, the CRAFTSMAN WS205 works as a brush cutter. You can mount either a balanced curved shaft on this big bruiser or a bump-feed trimmer head feeding .95 twisted line for a much better view of the area needing trimming.
What’s great is the 25cc 2-cycle gas engine puts both heads to work in such an impressive way.
What we don’t like about the CRAFTSMAN WS205 WEEDWACKER Gas-Powered String Trimmer is the 2-cycle engine meaning that you have to mix fuel and oil to power it.
Product Specifications
Cutting Width | 17 inches |
Engine Size | 25cc engine |
Engine Type | 2 cycle |
Line Diameter | .095 |
Cutting Head | WEEDWACKER trimmer head |
Dimensions | 39.4 x 12 x 11 inches |
Weight | 13 pounds |
Warranty | 2-year limited |
Highlight Features | Easy Start technology, 3-step start, WEEDWACKER trimmer head feeds, multi-position adjustable handle |
Select a budget-friendly machine like the CRAFTSMAN WS205 String Trimmer and you will not have to spend a lot of money on a performance-oriented garden tool for home trimming and yard neatness.
Best For Power Users Or Semi-Professionals: Husqvarna 967055801 324L
- Powerful string trimmer with a 4-stroke engine
- Easy and quick start with minimal effort
- Adjustable handle for optimal user’s comfort
- Excellent fuel consumption
- Great value for your money
- On the heavy side
- The lack of a strap
This 4-cycle trimmer by Husqvarna consistently gets great power user or semi-professional ratings for a good reason.
It is not the budget-friendliest option out there, but it is ranked #1 when it comes to the best units offering commercial-grade levels of power and performance at a residential device price.
With the capability to produce a power output of up to 1.07hp, the Husqvarna 324L Straight Shaft Gas String Trimmer can reach more grasses and always function incredibly well.
Though the 4-stroke engine running on pure gasoline saves you the hassle of fuel and oil mixing, it is much heavier than any 2-stroke model and even among the heaviest trimmers in Husqvarna’s lineup.
Product Specifications
Cutting Width | 18 inches |
Engine Size | 25cc engine 324L |
Engine Type | 4 cycle |
Line Diameter | 0.095 inches |
Cutting Head | N/A |
Dimensions | 70 x 9 x 9 inches |
Weight | 17 pounds |
Warranty | 2-year limited |
Highlight Features | Flex drive straight shaft, bevel gear and loop handle, air purge, Smart Start engine and starter |
Husqvarna 324L Straight Shaft Gas String Trimmer provides a respectable amount of power output for semi-professional uses.
Best Curved Shaft Gas String Trimmer
Best Overall: Husqvarna 129C
- Lightweight and eco-friendly
- Run on quiet operation
- Built to last for many years to come
- See-through fuel tank for a clear & quick look to the fuel level
- Not meant for the toughest jobs and long use
Though the Husqvarna 129C Gas Curved Shaft String Trimmer cannot run for hours to trim and cut weeds, it is meant for better access to the hidden or hard-to-reach locations where any other gas-powered weed eaters and straight sharp string trimmers are failed.
Some of the most worth-praising features of this curved shaft string trimmer by Husqvarna are the Smart Start system for trouble-free start-up and E-Tech II for fewer fume emissions and quieter operation. Not to mention the combi-guard helping users avoid any potential injury while operating this weed eater.
Product Specifications
Cutting Width | 17 inches |
Engine Size | 28cc |
Engine Type | 2-cycle |
Line Diameter | 0.095 inches |
Cutting Head | Curved shaft trimmer head |
Dimensions | 62.5 x 11 x 11.5 inches |
Weight | 10 pounds |
Warranty | 2-year limited |
Highlight Features | Powerful 27cc engine drives performance, Smart start technology for trouble-free starting, ergonomic design, auto-stop return switch simplifies trimmer controls |
Husqvarna 129C Gas Curved Shaft String Trimmer is manufactured with professional-standard quality well combined with a focus on user’s comfort and ease of use.
Budget-Friendly Option: Remington RM2510 Rustler
- Solid power
- Do jobs on a wide grass area without having to refill trimmer line
- Ergonomic design for performance with less hand fatigue
- Added durable and better control
- Trims thicker grass patches and shrubs in less time
- A little maintenance needed
- Shorter shaft
This curved shaft machine by Remington packs all the benefits of a high-quality gas weed wacker – unlimited power source, solid power output, and no string messing.
Despite being voted as the best gas string trimmer, the Remington RM2510 Rustler Curved Shaft Gas String Trimmer is not without minor faults. Aside from a little maintenance needed, another downside is a shorter shaft making it imperfect for taller homeowners.
Product Specifications
Cutting Width | 16 inches |
Engine Size | 25cc |
Engine Type | 2-cycle |
Line Diameter | 0.095 inches |
Cutting Head | Dual-line bump head |
Dimensions | 11.8 x 10.6 x 39 inches |
Weight | 13 pounds |
Warranty | 2-year limited |
Highlight Features | QuickStart technology Engine, dual-line pump head, thicker line for more durability and greater control, trims wider sections of tall grass in less time |
Remington RM2510 Rustler Curved Shaft Gas String Trimmer is one of the cheapest gas-powered weed trimmers for light and medium-heavy jobs as well as residential uses.
How To Choose The Best Gas String Trimmer
Straight vs. Curved Shafts
- Gas weed eaters are available in either straight or curved shafts.
- Generally, the former is a bit longer and are manufactured to fit into particularly hardest-to-reach spots such as under fences, decks over a patio, or bushes.
- Meanwhile, the latter is lighter and easier to handle & transport and provide greater balance, making them best suited for trimming along your lawns, gardens, sidewalks, and driveways.
Cutting Diameter
- The cutting diameter of gas string trimmers generally varies from roughly 8 to 10 inches (from 20 to 25 cm). The wider the cutting diameter is, the more efficiently it works and the more time spent on trimming you can save. However, the smaller the cutting diameter it is, the more effortlessly it can reach hidden spots that a basic mower can’t quite touch.
Trimmer Line
- The trimmer line or string trimmer line is a cutting blade.
- Rule of thumb: the tougher and heavier the job, the thicker the trimmer line should be.
- Other features affecting the cutting efficiency and the trimmer line’s longevity are its weight, material, and density.
- Nylon or plastic cord is the most widely used option. Though it is affordable and can spin at a high speed, it cannot withstand the wear and tear of anything but slashing through medium-thick grass and weeds.
Who makes the best gas string trimmer?
Husqvarna
- Based in Stockholm, Sweden, Husqvarna is a Swedish brand of outdoor power machines. With up to 330 years’ experience in the industry, Husqvarna has been producing the world-class devices such as grass trimmers, garden tractors, chainsaws, brush cutters, ride-on lawn mowers, robotic lawn mowers, cultivators, and sewing machines.
- This makes it the European leading manufacturer for park, forest, and garden care & the world’s producer in cutting equipment for the construction industry.
Remington Power Tool
- Remington Power Tool is the global leading designer, innovator, producer, and marketer of pole saws, hedge trimmers, string trimmers, cultivators, chainsaws, blowers, and blow throwers.
- Over almost 100 past years, this Wisconsin-headquartered company has been offering sturdy, long-lasting & powerful products capable of withstanding even the toughest duties with the commitment to engineering reliability.
CRAFTSMAN
- Originally belonging to Sears Holdings and now working under Stanley Black & Decker’s control, Craftsman is a reputable line of work wear, lawn, and garden tools.
FAQs
Are curved or straight shaft trimmers better?
More adjustable, functional, and generating more torque than curved trimmers, a straight-shaft model accommodates people of different body frames and effectively cuts through tough scrubs, grass, and weeds.
Also, this unit can perform well in more awkward, narrow, hard-to-reach spots around your lawn.
Moreover, it can be compatible with other additional attachments to act as both a trimmer and edger.
Possessing much shorter shafts than a straight-shaft whipper-snipper and staying closer to the surface, curved models are best for shorter people.
Also, female homeowners will find these lighter, more balanced, and easier-to-maneuver trimmers a go-to option.
Are 4-cycle trimmers better?
4-cycle trimmers are much more efficient, eco-friendly, and less noisy than 2-cycle units. But they are more expensive and heavier than a 2-stroke engine.
In short: a 4-cycle trimmer is a better choice for those who want to go completely green or those in search of a device that can run without a gas-oil mixture.
What kind of gas does a 4 cycle engine use?
While a 2-cycle gas trimmer has only a single fuel tank to store the oil & gasoline mixture, a 4-stroke machine keeps the oil and gasoline needed in separate tanks for lubrication.
It means that it self-lubricates while running as long as the oil is kept topped up.
Can you mow your lawn with a trimmer?
You can but shouldn’t. Never use a luxury accessory like a grass trimmer to mow a vast area of grass stretches and bushes.
Despite the extremely sharp blade, since you need to operate it manually, the cutting result of mowing with a trimmer will never be as even as by with a lawn mower.
Conclusion
Instead of pulling up bushes & weeds and cutting the grass verges by hand, why don’t you invest in the best gas string trimmer for spring cleanup or late-summer mowing?
Researching different models by different brands on the market and comparing every single feature from overall quality to affordability and performance, we have compiled this list above. Hope that it can give you an idea which one works best for you.